By Suhaila Shahrul Annuar
SEPANG, Aug 6 — The youngest player in the Selangor Football Association (FAS) Women's Super League 2023, Qaseh Rania Khairul Najib, has become the first Southeast Asian to receive an offer to undergo a trial session with the VFL Wolfsburg club in Germany.
Wolfsburg's Southeast Asian Representative Datuk Kenhew Tze Kan said the 14-year-old's qualities are difficult to find in other players of her age, encompassing all aspects including talent, skills, and personality, which have impressed the management of the giant women's football club.
"Apart from her physical attributes with good height, talent, and natural instincts as a player, most importantly, Rania's composure is hard to find in other players, even those who are senior to her.
"Her training sessions are also not ordinary. We see Rania's commitment in every training session, which makes me feel it would be a huge loss if this talent is not highlighted," he said at Kuala Lumpur International Airport today.
Qaseh, accompanied by her father Khairul Najib Ibrahim, departed for Hanover, Germany, today to begin a six-week trial session with VFL Wolfsburg.
Kenhew said that during the trial session in Germany, she will undergo evaluations to determine her abilities and skills, as well as gain exposure to training with the two-time UEFA Champions League winners, which features some of the world's best female players.
"What is important is that Rania must take care of herself and avoid injuries, as this is a golden opportunity to showcase her abilities at an international level.
"Wolfsburg will give Rania every opportunity to showcase her talent and do their best to integrate her into this system. We want her to succeed because she has unique talents and abilities that should not be wasted," he said.
Meanwhile, Yayasan Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) or MBI head Ahmad Azri Zainal Nor said they are committed to promoting talents in various fields to elevate them to higher levels.
MBI has helped develop Rania's talent since 2020, including a RM15,000 sponsorship when she attended a training programme with the NK Osijek club (Croatian League 1) in 2022.
"It is important for us to help these special talents so they do not go unnoticed, which would ultimately be a loss for the state and the country.
"We are also awaiting the final paperwork from Wolfsburg for coaching collaboration in the Red Yellow Academy (Akademi Merah Kuning) to further enhance the existing system," he said.
For the record, Rania, who plays as a central forward, won the Best Young Player award in the FAS Women's Super League 2023 while playing for the MBSJ FC team.
At the age of 13, a video of the SMK Puchong student scoring a goal through a free kick went viral on social media and became the talk of the town, especially since she was playing with a boys' team at that time.
[caption id="attachment_367155" align="aligncenter" width="1127"]
SMK Puchong student and football prodigy Qaseh Rania Khairul Najib, 14, during her send-off to Germany for the trial session with the VFL Wolfsburg club, at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, on August 6, 2024. — Picture by HARUN TAJUDIN/MEDIA SELANGOR[/caption]
